Doctors and nurses are being BANNED from parking in streets near the Royal Alexandra Hospital under tough new car restrictions.

Roads bosses are clamping down on congested Paisley streets by painting new yellow lines on roadsides near the RAH.

Craw Road, Riccartsbar Avenue and parts of Corsebar Road and Victoria Road will be subject to traffic orders stopping motors from being left between 9am and 5pm.

The measures are the culmination of a five-year battle between hospital workers and residents over on-street parking.

Murdina Wright, 50, of Craw Road, who is secretary of the Corsebar and District Residents Association, told the Paisley Daily Express: “Nobody wanted to see yellow lines because of the restrictions.

“But there’s simply no other way.

“RAH staff are blocking driveways, stopping people from being able to get in or out and there have been crashes and damage to our cars.

“We’ve even had staff tossing medical gloves and other equipment into our gardens.”

Health board workers were stopped from using the RAH car park in 2010, as bosses insisted it was reserved for patients and visitors.

Most staff have been forced to park in nearby streets since then, with less than 200 spaces made available for workers, shared by more than 500 permit holders on a first come, first served basis.

Families living near the hospital have been involved in disputes with hospital workers, claiming they cannot access their homes and that their cars have been damaged.

Doctors and nurses have also had their vehicles targeted by yobs during vandalism sprees, including having paintwork scratched with keys.

Trade union Unison, which represents hundreds of workers at the hospital, has slammed the decision.

Matt McLaughlin, Unison’s regional organiser for the health service branch, has branded the decision as “stupidity”.

He explained: “This is absolutely what we predicted when the health board changed its parking policy.

“We were the only union which refused to sign up to and back the plans.

“This underlines the absolute stupidity of the decision of the health board and the council and planning department.

“The health service continues to centralise services to save money, yet it makes it impossible for people to get safely to their work.

“Something must change before somebody is seriously hurt.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which runs the RAH, says it is creating more spaces for staff to help alleviate the problem.

A spokesman said: “The Royal Alexandra Hospital is committed to being a good neighbour by working with the Renfrewshire Council and the local residents association.

“There are limitations on the number of parking spaces we can offer at several of our hospital sites, including the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

“As a result, we are currently creating an additional car park with 50 spaces on land where staff residences were recently demolished.

“These new spaces are scheduled to be completed in July and will complement the car parking area added in 2012.

“We also operate a number of travel initiatives for staff travelling to and from the site including the car share and cycle to work schemes, loans to purchase ZoneCards and monthly and annual tickets sales on site.”

Renfrewshire Council roads chiefs have confirmed work to implement the restrictions will start in June and be complete in August.

A local authority spokesman said: “We have been working closely with both the RAH and residents who live around the hospital for a number of years to try and resolve problems created by on street parking.

“In view of ongoing safety concerns, and with the support of local residents, we proposed yellow line restrictions in Craw Road and Riccartsbar Avenue and parts of Corsebar Road and Victoria Road.

“The yellow lines will ensure that roads are not obstructed and kept clear for emergency vehicles.”